(A) See existing land use map.
(B) The existing conditions survey conducted in the spring of 1959 indicated the following approximate physical characteristics:
Land Use | Built Up | Vacant | Total | % of Total | Adjusted % of Total | Average Other Cities Similar Size |
Streets, alleys and ROWs | 128 | 21% | 35% | 28% | ||
Residential land use | 55 | 71 | 126 | 22% | 34% | 39% |
Motel-hotel multi-family | 21 | 22 | 43 | 7.5% | 11% | 2% |
Commercial | 9 | 19 | 28 | 4.5% | 7% | 7% |
Land Use | Built Up | Vacant | Total | % of Total | Adjusted % of Total | Average Other Cities Similar Size |
Industrial and railroad | 131 | 109 | 240 | 41.5% | 8% | 8% |
Public | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1.5% | 2% | 9% |
Schools | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2% | 3% | 7% |
Totals | 229 | 227 | 584 | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Note: Abnormal industrial acreage; therefore percentage calculations are considered on normal percent of industrial use | ||||||
(C) In addition to the existing conditions survey, the following general factors are also present in the city. These factors play an important part in many of the planning decisions:
(1) Large quantity of substandard dwellings in the city, brought about in most part because of:
(a) The lack of home loan financing funds in the past or at present; and
(b) Unstable land values.
(2) High concentration of substandard dwellings and population density of 65 persons per acre in one area adjacent to industrial and commercial land;
(3) Mixed land use; e.g., industrial development next to schools, bare adjacent to residences and children’s play areas;
(4) Unstable residential areas contain undesired vacant land with the result that new growth is occurring at the perimeter of the city;
(5) Lack of protective devices to prevent encroachment of substandard dwellings next to standard structures;
(6) Inadequate free or developed recreational areas for children or adults;
(7) Unprotected and unsafe routes for children to and from school;
(8) Major traffic congestion due to inadequate sized streets and their location in respect to use; e.g., through traffic to Padre Island must: travel the same route that local in-town or tourist traffic must travel, congestion at the toll bridge and long waiting lines, trucks traveling in residential areas and by school grounds and the like; thereby discouraging the tourism from shopping in the city but rather on Padre Island or prior to entering the congested area;
(9) Undeveloped land of all classifications owned by people out of the state, held for speculation only with no regard to the local interest. In most part the land was obtained through inheritance and is held with the false belief that oil lies under all land in the state;
(10) Excessive vacant land and land in non-taxable use; i.e. street rights-of-ways;
(11) Default in obtaining tax returns on all land with the result of an unequal tax burden on the local residents;
(12) No encouragement in respect to proper development of land outside of the city, in part brought about by lack of legal control and/or a program of development. Also, inadequate control of the land outside the city in regard to soil erosion, sand control and pest control; and
(13) Lack of proper planning, controls, goals and public awareness resulting in high cost of government in respect to actual return on public facilities, streets, living conditions, health and educational facilities.
(Ord. 218, passed 6-13-1960)